Chicken Broccoli Bake...

This recipe has been a long time favorite in my house and by special request, I am sharing it with all of you. I found this recipe in a cookbook called "Recipes on Parade" published back in 1964. It contains 2,000 world wide favorites of Military Officers' Wives. Of course, over the years, I've changed a few things but the end result is pretty much the same...yummy!



1 bag frozen broccoli florets
3 or 4 large boneless chicken breasts cooked
2 cans mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. curry powder (that's what it calls for...I use a LOT more)



Cook the broccoli according to package directions and place in casserole dish. Top with chicken.



Combine the soup, water, mayonnaise and curry powder and pour sauce over the chicken and broccoli.



Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes...



Serve over rice and enjoy!

REMINDER! Tomorrow is the deadline to enter Lianna's giveaway. If you haven't entered already, hop on over and check it out! While you're there, do a little browsing in her Etsy store...

Mikey the Wild Child

Seems like I took more than Sunday off...well, maybe just a Monday too...no new recipe tonight but more to come.

Dinner was delicious the other night at Mike and Sue's house and I just wanted share a couple of pictures of the Wild Child, Mikey. You'll understand what I mean by Wild Child when you see the blurry photos...he is perpetual motion personified!


Caught with a huge smile!


Not sure why but Mikey likes to get in the Mully's dog kennel and pretend he's in jail!


And poor Mully...Mikey thinks she's a horse!

UPDATE...all the prayers offered for Baby Brayden and Baby Harper are working. Both babies are making progress, slowly but surely. Keep up the good work!

Taking Sunday Off...

No recipe today...I'm taking the day off! My son, Mike, invited me to watch the football game and have dinner! GO STEELERS! And GO POT ROAST!

Not only that, but I've been having serious Mikey withdrawal here lately! I don't think I've seen that precious baby since New Year's!!! So I'll get to catch up with him between dinner and bedtime. So looking forward to that...

I also want to remind y'all that there's only one week left to enter Lianna's Chip/In Giveaway. The deadline for entry is January 25th to win one of Miss Anne's 12 X 12 custom canvasses. They are so unique and definitely worth an entry on two! Please check it out, leave a comment, become a follower, whatever you can do to support Lianna and the DH in raising enough funding for their 3rd IVF attempt. Thanking you in advance for your support!

Also, please continue praying for Baby Brayden and Baby Harper and their families. Both babies are still in critical condition and need your thoughts and prayers.

Vegetable Soup

Before I get started, I want to put out a request to please please hold some people in your thoughts and prayers today. I don't personally know these people but I have followed their stories and definitely feel a connection.

Jenna gave birth to Brayden a few days ago and although he was full term, he experienced breathing problems and currently is in the NICU in Little Rock.

Kelly gave birth to Harper yesterday and again though full term experienced heart and lung problems. She was flown to Tulsa and currently is in the NICU there.

Please check out my sidebar for updates and more on their stories and others too and please please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Now for the soup. Here in the Sunshine State of Florida, the temperature went down to freezing last night and will be in the 30's again tonight. Now I know to so many of you, that probably seems like balmy winter weather, but to me...I'm freezing! So the remedy for freezing is good ol' homemade vegetable soup! This recipe comes from my son, Mike, who's quite a cooker...if I do say so myself!



3 cups V-8 Juice
1 can diced tomatoes (juice in the can too)
1 package frozen corn
1 potato diced
layer chopped/sliced celery
layer sliced carrots
1 package frozen green beans
1 package frozen lima beans (optional)
1/8 teaspoon savory
1/8 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons parsley
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (personally I like a lot more!)
2-3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves

Combine all the ingredients in a dutch oven or a crockpot. First the juice, tomatoes and corn.


Then the potatoes...

Now the celery...

And on to the onion...

Add the carrots...

And finally the beans...

Add the spices (these are just guidelines) and simmer on the stove or in the crockpot until the potatoes and carrots are done.


Have a good one and stay warm!

Crab Cakes

This turned out to be a conglomeration of ideas from several different recipes. But it turned out pretty good so I wanted to share it with you.




Crab Cakes

1 lb. fresh or frozen jumbo lump crab meat
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 to 1 cup mayonnaise (I used Olive Oil Mayo)
1 egg beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce (to taste)
Lemon juice
Pepper (to taste)

Finely chop the onions, green and red bell peppers and celery. Set aside.


Beat the egg and add and mix the rest of the ingredients together.





Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Separate the mixture into 8-10 portions, shape into balls, roll in bread crumbs and place on PAM sprayed cookie sheet (I use foil for easy cleanup). Flatten to make round patties. Spray the tops with PAM.



Bake for 8-10 minutes, turn and bake for 5-6 more minutes.

Serve with Tartar sauce.

Simple Tartar Sauce

Mayonnaise
Chopped onion
Sweet Relish
Worchestershire Sauce
Tabasco Sauce

Mix and chill.

Enjoy!

National Championship Chili

GO GATORS!

To me there aren't a whole lot of things better in life than some cool weather, a Florida Gator National Championship game and a big pot of chili! GO GATORS!!!

Last night in preparation for tonight's game, I made a pot of chili. I know some people like a lot of meat, others a lot of beans and still others who like a lot of both. I happen to be in the 'others' category. Although, I seem to vary a little each time I make it, my basic recipe goes like this:



1-2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 small to medium onion, chopped
4-6 cans beans (I prefer light & dark kidney beans but have used red & pinto too)
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes
2 cans tomato soup
Chili Powder to taste (I use a lot!)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cayenne and/or crushed red pepper (optional)



Brown the ground beef with the onion. Add the other ingredients and simmer on the stove or in a crock pot for several hours. Everyone knows it's better the next day
anyway!

And voila - the finished product!



I also have a couple of side notes I want to share. Lianna Knight, my beautiful daughter-in-love, and my son, the DH, are trying to raise enough money for their 3rd IVF attempt. She has a great giveaway in progress on her blog, compliments of one of her followers. Please visit Lianna at www.bethouaknight.blogspot.com to leave a comment and become a follower to enter. It doesn't cost anything to enter but any and all contributions get them that much closer to their precious dream. And I would be forever grateful for that!

Also, when you hit your knees tonight, please say a prayer for Lianna's Mom and my BFF, Jill. She's under the weather and going through a rough time right now.

So goodnight for now...hope you enjoy the chili and remember...GO GATORS!!!!

STARTING A NEW YEAR WITH SOME COMFORT FOOD

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Also known plainly as Hot Dog Casserole or now fondly called The HDC, this recipe was an all time favorite when my kids were young and I might add, it still goes over with a bang!

CHEEZY HOT DOG CASSEROLE

2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen chopped broccoli
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of celery soup
2 cups cubes sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
6 drops Tabasco pepper sauce (I go a little crazy with this!)
3 cups cooked rice
1 package (12 to 16 oz.) hot dogs, cut into 1" pieces

Cook broccoli according to package directions. Drain well and set aside. Heat soup, 1 cup cheese, milk, onion powder, mustard and pepper sauce. Stir in rice, hot dogs and broccoli. Turn into a greased shallow 2-quart casserole. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Makes 6 servings.